Why does your page look like this?

Local Rock Fans Wonder What to do Tonight

Rock choices abound tonight, and it's a tough call.

The Crawfish Boil at Riverfront Park?

The Hives at the Wildhorse?

David Vandervelde and Ghostfinger at Exit/In?

Billy Block Presents the GrandVista Music Club at Limelight?

David Dewese at Edgefield Studios?

Sleep Study at the Basement?

Velcro Stars at Tomato, Tomato?

Check our Critics' Picks for more info, or additional listings here.

Har Mar Superstar Cancelled

While the Wildhorse Saloon is taking break from the usual washed-up faves of decades past with a show from The Hives tonight, the Mercy Lounge is sticking with its penchant for swingin' after parties that are often as bumpin'—if not more so—than the event that precedes them. The official Hives after party tonight was scheduled to include a live performance by Har Mar Superstar, but according to Har Mar's website, due to a "prolonged battle with the flu and laryngitis" the tubby, scantily clad Ron Jeremy look-a-like won't be blessing us with his sexually charged R&B and electroclash fusion. Organized by Har Mar bassist and Nashville native Denver Dally, the party is still scheduled to go on and features an unspecified number of DJ sets by some still unspecified DJs. Things kick off at 10 p.m. and admission is free.

Music Videos Start May 21 on Music City Arts TV9

Thanks to YouTube, you can hear just about any song for free—if it has a video. It's created an unexpected interest in the once-revolutionary medium again, and now MCA TV9 (that's Comcast cable channel 9) is starting to rock videos in its programming, and plenty of 'em local.

"We'd like to provide an alternative after-school television option to the existing trashy reality TV and mind-warping crap that's currently being shown on the other cable channels," says a channel spokesperson, and with a local lineup including videos from The Clutters, Carter Administration, Paul Burch, Avett Brothers, The Features and more, we can't think of a better way to entertain ourselves after school.

Music videos are shown weekdays 4-6pm and 9-11am every Saturday morning.

Lineup after the jump.

Reminder: Next Big Nashville 2008 Deadline Is June 5

Hey kids, don't forget to submit your hot local rock heat for consideration to play Next Big Nashville 2008, which spreads all over our fair city Sept. 10-14. Deadline is June 5, so stop killing prostitutes on Grand Theft Auto for five seconds and apply.

Tonight at The Basement: The Griefs

Ohio garage-rockers The Griefs sometimes sound like The Kinks and sometimes like The Who. Tonight they channel it at The Basement for the first show on their tour outside of the Buckeye State. And look, they're just regular-lookin' dudes! Nothin' to hate here.

Check out "Whenever You're Around" for a taste.

Sunday Night at Springwater: Japanther and The Pharmacy

From the song "Turning Japanese" to the band Half Japanese to the band Japancakes, it's clear Japan occupies a really curious space in the American imagination. Maybe it's because the TV shows are so awesome. Is there a band called Japanties yet? Japancreas? I'm thinking of naming my next band A Man, a Plan a Canal: Japanama. But then it wouldn't be a palindrome anymore.

Anyway, NYC's Japanther is playing Sunday night at the Springwater. They'll be joined by The Pharmacy (speaking of owing XTC) and Wizardz. Maybe "Jeff Orrall" will be at the show, assholes. I hear that there are members of Jeff Orrall in Wizardz. Ian from Japanther answered five particular questions.

Tonight: Uh Huh Her @ Exit/In

Actress Leisha Haley is best known for her role as the perky Alice Pieszecki on lady soap The L Word, where she cheerfully tracks the sexcapades of friends in their tightly knit Los Angeles lesbian community for The Chart. But before acting she played in The Murmurs, and Uh Huh Her, her new electro-pop band with former Mellowdrone bassist/keyboardist Camila Grey, is named after PJ Harvey’s highest-charting album of the same name. Their first full-length, Common Reaction, is a batch of sultry, ethereal pop that rests somewhere between Ladytron’s synthy surges (“Not a Love Song”) and Annie Lenox’s mournful moans (“Everyone”). Coincidentally, it’s the kind of sexy, atmospheric music that would fit perfectly on The L Word’s soundtrack. 9 p.m. at Exit/In —TRACY MOORE

The Magic Number: Just One Reason to Go See Josh Ritter Tonight (or Tomorrow)

Playing May 6 and 7 at The Belcourt Theatre

1. "The Temptation of Adam"

I really like Josh Ritter. I love love love this song. I wrote about it here, and I told him about it here (though I'm pretty sure I used the word "obsessed"). It is both easy and difficult to decipher just what has etched this little tune into my heart.

One the easy side, it's a wonderful story: A man lives in a nuclear bunker with a woman who is way out of his league. Eventually, because of his songs and the fact that, in some ways, he is literally the only man on earth, she succumbs to his charms and they live in brief bliss 300 feet below the surface. But he knows he can't hold onto her. He knows that their "love would live a half-life on the surface." So, he thinks about pushing the "great big button" and launching WWIII to hang onto his woman. Hence the temptation.

Like You Need An Excuse to Drink Tequila: Pico de Mayo at 8 off 8th

It's Cinco de Mayo today, and tonight at Mercy Lounge it's Pico de Mayo, which is I guess what happens when Pico vs. Island Trees and bands they know celebrate their victory over French pop? Don't make me explain it.

Tonight: M.I.A. & Holy Fuck @ City Hall

So how do we feel about M.I.A. tonight? A review of a recent show in North Texas said the Sri Lankan-born rapper's fanbase was as diverse as her globally-influenced rhythms. Well, kinda:

But not only did M.I.A. attract a huge crowd Friday night, it was one that enthusiastically knew the lyrics to the songs on her two albums, Arular and Kala. And it was a crowd that spanned the social spectrum. Black, white, Asian, Latin, trendy, preppy, all were out in force. In fact, when M.I.A. put a call-out for ladies to come up onstage during an extremely funky 10, those who swarmed the stage looked as much as ready for a sale at NorthPark as a concert by a British cult pop figure.

Preppy and trendy, folks. Asian and Latin. Where else can you get that? You know, other than Layl'a Rul.

And, with head-trippers Holy Fuck on the bill, I've dared to dream that the turnout will be great. From our Critics' Picks:

Tagged as one of the top live acts at the Glastonbury Festival back in ’05, noise-huggers Holy Fuck have since become coveted show-openers for their caustic yet cuddly performances. Cramming dueling drummers and twin mix boards—a chaotic tangle of vintage analog equipment and fuzz box synthesizers to re-create their studio finish—the Toronto outfit forge swarming instrumentals with spasmodic dance beats. Less in line with fellow dirty-word lovin’ duo Fuck Buttons, who recently graced Nashville, this Kanook outfit owe more of a debt to technorati strongarms Black Dice and Melt Banana. As stage prep for M.I.A.’s third-world riot starters, Holy Fuck should serve as both a thorough palate-cleanser and a crash course in some of the best fringe experimental out there. There’s more than electrical tape holding these guys together. 8 p.m. at City Hall —DUSTIN ALLEN